Screw holder for screw drivers



July 7, 1959 F. L. LINDBERG 2,893,455 7 SCREW HOLDER FOR SCREW DRIVERS Filed Dec. 5} 1956 171g. 4. 11195. .Fjg. 6.

25 25 In "/5 25 I: 16 a l8 i /a I3 I I4 2e 26 26 3 2/ l2 I2 22 w 283 2 22 23 I 52 32 3 28 IN VHVTOR. .Frukz L. L Lndberg A TTORNE Y United States Patent SCREW- HOLDER FOR SCREW DRIVERS Fritz L. Lindberg, Flint, Mich.

Application December 5, 1956, Serial'No. 626,345

Claims. (Cl. 145-52) The present invention relates-to an" improved screw -holder forscrew drivers, and-essentially consists of a further development of the invention shown in my copending application entitled Screw Holder for -Sc'rew ably through the split sleeve and consists of a laterallyextending bight portionforming a vfinger piece and a pair of substantially parallel legs, each having itsfreeend formed with a looped screw head-engaging member. The device is'such that it maybe quickly placed in con- .dition for receiving the. head of a screw, adjusted to' another position for engagement by the blade of the screw driver withthe head of thescrew, and thereafter auto- .matically disengaged from the head of the screw. due to the peculiar formation of the :screw head-engaging members.

-It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved screw'holder forscrew drivers.

-Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means foryieldably limiting the outward sliding movement of. a. split sleeve forming apart of the invention.

*A further object of the invention isrtoprovide, in a device of the charactersetforth, novel means for maintaininga sleeveformingiarpart of theminvention inu'preselected: positions.

: Still: anotherrobject of: :the invention is to'provide; in

--.a*:de.vice; of the character set forth; novelrmeans forz quick handmpositive;:positioning-:of :parts of the holder relative xto ascrew-driver :forconvenient reception .ofithe head of a screw in the holder andvforsquickt:and positivefreloucatingof partsnof the holderrelative tot'the'screw driver to engage-and yieldingly hold the blade of the screw fdriver-in thefslotted head of-the screw.

-'A further and important Object of the invention-is -to -provide,'-in-a-"device of the character set forth, novel means for gripping'the headportion'of a' screwandfurtherinovel means for releasing suchhhead portion asthe 'screwis threaded into another object.

7 Otherandfurther objects of. the invention will become .apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

(Figure-.1 is anenlargedhfront. elevationalview. ofv an embodiment of the. zinventionshowing the sanie mounted upon a screw driver, and a position on the screwadriver for receiving the head ,ofa screw;

Figure :2 isea fragmentaryiside elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure .3. is a ,bottom plan. view -of-sthe. ldevice. shown in Figures. Lan 2;

Figure 4x'iis' j a fragmentary rear elevationalf'view' bf Figure l'lillustr'ating the" parts "of the deviceirr positions "when engagedwith a screw'head; V

'Figure'S is a'view "similar to'Figure' 4'but illlustrating "the device as itappe'ars'immediately before automatic disengagementof the holder from the's'crew headofthe screw;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 4 afld 5b ut fillustrating the position at parts immediately" after thdholder has automatically disengaged from the *screw' head; 7

Figure 7 is a sectional" view-taken substantiallyialohg line 7-7 -ofFigure 1';"and A U I I [Figure 8'is' a rearelevational viewof a'sligliflymiodified form of the 'invention,' the"parts' -being illustrated 'in *thesame position "as that shown} in Figures, 1- and 2.

*Referring more particularly to the drawingftlierwis shown a'screw driver'having'a shank-l0 -that is round in cross" section andprovidedwith 'a" conventional? handle 11 at one-of its ends. The other'endof theshank I0 -is shown ashavingformed-*thereon conventional Phillips type"" blade 12, however, it is to beunderstood' that any other type-of *bla'de" maybe employed.

Inwardly of and adjacent the blade" '12, the shahk' lfl is provided'with an; angular groove having a radially exteriding wall or'shoulder' 13 next to said blade i and outwardly tapering wa11 -14 extending from 'the' depth of '--said"groove at saidshoulder to the 'outerdiameter'bfithe ---'shank 10 andin the dire'ction'of the handle. p

F Mountedupon "the shank "10 for both" slida'ble and-ro- "tat'able movement is a sleeve; ge'ner'a'lly '-indi'cated-" 'a 15, preferably form'ed of thin"sp'ring"metal= and having slit "16 longitudinally therethrough, th'us' fforming'f a pair 0f corner portions 1 7 at one end Ofthe' 'sIeeVe an another pair-of corner'portions'flfiat the 'other'end of said leeve, "allof such-'corner 'portions' 17*"and'18 beingbent inwardly toward the shank 10 so as to apply pressure onthej shank I :at spaced -intervals and' thereby" frict'ionally resistmove- '-'-'ment .ofi saidisle'eve relative to" the shank.

A .1 spring wire 1 member, generally indicated 'at 19, is bent'to substantially U-shape and'is provided with: :1 laterally entendingubight portion 20 straddlingthshanklO andrforming a fingeri piece-at one end'of a' p'air' of'detipendentfllegs .21,-"each of which has formed at'j its oth'er mend a-screw head-engaging'iloop 22. Each of'theloops 22 is: formed" with Jan. outwardly" and? angularly bowed t lip 223 of? substantially -shape that diverge from onc -anr' othernas' they extend beyond thepo'rtionsof said loo'ps in: contact with the: screw head. aTheinnefiS'hrfaCes" bf .ztheT-aloo'ps 22'z-a'ref-of a 's'izefiless than the: diameter of Ithe ahead;aof ar screweto beiheld Tth'ereby: soithat *sa'iddojops partially receive and engage-opposite sides'l'of Ztherscrew 1 head. '-Also,z the loops 22- are :of substantially elliptical t? configurationsand with their lengths at right -angles :to .lthe legs 21 so-that-opposite slower curved portions th'ere- -of extending between xpoints of "engagement with the screw head-.are Lspaced beyond and partiallyuridefafid 1 .over the screw: head. :It-is at the intermediate portions'of ;the:: most forward slower curvedv portions of the loopss 22 .-that the. outwardlyangledbow'ed lips 23 are formed. The free BHdSHOf' the wire structure 19 are ibent "in return bends, as shown at 24, in Figure 2, to reinforce "the legs- 21.

The sleeve 15- is provided with directly opposite longi- -tudinal-channels 25 to-slidably accomodatethe legs 21 .and their return-bends 24,"and the IegsZIwand Ieturn bends.- 24 are -each' provided with an woutwardly "bowed .portion 26 which lie in spaced relation to-the s1eevet15 when the;latter -is in abutting: relation to 'thei laterally extending finger piece 20. Directly *opposite'theslitil6 :and, substantially ninety degrees from the channelszz25igis 0 an outward-longitudinally formed whuinpedaportion '27 been eliminated. In this case, the wire member 19 is not .limited to just suflicient sliding movement relative to the sleeve for disengaging the loops 23 from the head 28 of the screw 29.

-In operation, when it is desired to connect, for example, a pair of plates 30 and 31 together by means of a screw 29, the first step taken with the present device would beto move the finger piece 20 downwardly with the. thumb or forefinger of a hand holding the screw driver until the inturned corner portions 18 engage with the shoulder 13 (Figures 1 and 2). This places the screw head-engaging loops 22 in proper position with relation to the blade 12 so that the head 28 of the screw may be inserted between the loops 22 to be engaged thereby, the lips 23 assisting in guiding the head 28 to such position (Figure 3). Without releasing the grip of the hand on the screw driver, the thumb or forefinger of said hand is moved slightly down the shank of the screw driver to engagethe outer end of the humped portion 27 on the sleeve. By then sliding the sleeve inwardly to disengage the inturned corner portion 18 from the shoulder 13, the wire member 19 will be moved therewith, due to engagement of the laterally turned bight portion 20 with the opposite end of said sleeve. This sliding movement of, parts will bring the head 28 of the screw between the loops 22 into engagement with the blade 12 of the screw driver for insenting the edge of the blade in the slotted opening of the screw (Figure 4). The screw 29 will now remain in position without further handling, and the screw driver may be manipulated utilizing only the handle 11 to insert the screw 29 in the openings provided in the plates 30 and 31.

When downward pressure and turning movement are applied to the handle 11 in the usual manner, the screw is threaded. into the plates until the head 28 thereof starts to enter the usual countersunk opening 32 provided for the head 28. When this occurs, the lips 23 will engage ,the face of the plate 30 outwardly of the countersunk openings 32 and-the same, together with the legs 21, will be .cammed outwardly by'the screw head 28 and with respect to the blade 12 (Figure 5). Further turning of the screw 29 to its final position will disengage the headengaging loops 22 from the screw head and will allow the lips 23 and consequently the loops 22 to again move to a position adjacent the blade 12 (Figure 6), whereupon' the entire screw driver and its attachment may be removed without further ado.

By again referring to Figures 4, 5, and 6, it will be observed that the sleeve 15 did not slide on the shank 10 of the screw driver during disengagement of the headengaging loops 22 from the head 28 of the screw, but instead, the wire member 19 was moved upwardly on said shank and relative to said sleeve and said shank. The

reason for this is because there is greater frictional engagement of the sleeve with the shank than the resistance offered to sliding movement of the wire member in the sleeve.

It should be understood that without the provision of the lips 23 and when threading a screw in a countersunk opening, the lower portions of the loops 22 would tend to remain beneath the head 28 due to the inclination of the countersunk surface engaged by the loops whereupon further turning of the screw would compress and lock the loops 22 between the head 28 and the countersunk opening 32; 'It will thus be seen that there is an automatic disengagement-of the screw head by the present device which 3 takes place by the meretightening of the screw 29.

When it is desired to remove the screw 29, it is only necessary to engage the blade 12 with the head 28 in conventional manner and to then turn the screw 29 in such manner that it moves outwardly from the plate 30 or other device with which it is engaged. When the screw has thus been turned a suflicient distance, it is only necessary to press downwardly upon the finger piece 20 to thereby engage the loops 22 with the head 28 in the manner shown, for example, in Figure 4, the lips 23 assisting in such operation by guiding and spreading the arms 21 to allow the head 28 to enter between the loops 22. Further turning of the handle 11 allows the screw 29 to become entirely disengaged from the plates 30 and 31 or the like and yet remain physically connected to the screw driver from which it may be removed at will by a mere outward pull upon the same.

While but two forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a screw driver having a handle, a shank, and a blade, said shank having an annular groove forming a shoulder in spaced relation to said blade, a split sleeve frictionally slidable on said shank and on that side thereof remote from said blade, means in said sleeve for engaging said shoulder whereby to limit the movement of said sleeve toward said blade, a pair of substantially parallel spaced spring legs carried by said sleeve and slidable for limited longitudinal movement relative to said sleeve and shank, said legs being arranged in close proximity to opposite sides of said shank and having end portions thereof projecting forwardly of said sleeve and along side of said blade, screw head-engaging loops integrally formed at the forward ends of said legs and extending in planes parallel to the axis of said shank, and an angularly and outwardly extending lip integrally formed at the outer end of each loop.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a screw driver having a handle, a shank, and a blade, said shank having an annular groove forming shoulder in spaced relation to said blade, a split sleeve frictionally slidable on said shank and on that side thereof remote from said blade, a pair of inturned inwardly biased corner portions in said sleeve for engaging said shoulder whereby to limit the movement of said sleeve toward said blade, a U-shaped spring wire member having legs slidable through said sleeve for limited movement, said legs being arranged in close proximity to opposite sides of said shank and having end portions thereof projecting forwardly of said sleeve and along side of said blade, and screw head-engaging loops integrally formed at the forward ends of said legs.

3. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, a screw driver having a handle, a shank, and a blade, said shank having an annular grove forming a shoulder in spaced relation to said blade, an elongated sleeve split longitudinally thereof and both slidable and rotatable on said shank and on that side of the groove remote from said blade, a U-shaped spring wire member having legs slidable for limited movement through said sleeve, screw head-engaging loops integrally formed at the forward ends of said legs and at opposite sides of said blade, and inturnedportions at corners of said split and ends of said sleeve so as to frictionally resist movement of the sleeve on the shank and for engaging said shoulder :30] limit the sliding movement of said sleeve toward said ade.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said groove is provided with a radially extending face adjacent said blade and forming said shoulder, and an inwardly and angularly extending face remote from said blade.

5. A device of the cha acte dess 'i e comprising, in

combination, a screw driver having a handle, a shank, and a blade, said shank having an annular groove forming a shoulder in spaced relation to said blade, a split sleeve frictionally slidable on said shank and on that side thereof remote from said blade, means in said sleeve for engaging said shoulder whereby to limit the movement of said sleeve toward said blade, a U-shaped spring wire member having legs parallel with and slidable for limited movement through said sleeve, screw head-engaging loops integrally formed on said legs, and means for automatically disengaging said loops from a screw head during the driving of a screw by said blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

